Court admits nine exhibits in Malami’s money laundering trial

The Punch reports on a significant development in the money laundering trial of former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. A Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted nine documentary exhibits presented by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The exhibits, primarily banking documents, were tendered through Mashelia Arhyel Bata, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc. Bata confirmed that the bank provided electronic and hard copies of documents linked to accounts associated with Malami, his wife, son, and several corporate entities in response to an EFCC request. These documents are central to the amended 16-count charge accusing the defendants of conspiracy, procuring, disguising, concealing, and laundering proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to over N8.7 billion.

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I work as a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, Maitama branch. My duty includes receiving correspondence from law enforcement agencies and responding accordingly.

Despite an initial objection from the defense counsel regarding the dates of some documents, the trial judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, overruled the objection and admitted them as evidence. The prosecution, led by J. S. Okutepa, further examined the witness to detail transactions within the exhibits, which include account opening documents and statements for accounts held by Malami and his associates, with transactions spanning from 2012 to 2023. The admission of these exhibits marks a crucial step in the EFCC's pursuit of justice in this high-profile corruption case.

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I can identify them when presented in court.